"He's the best lefty in the National League," Maddon repeated of Grimm, who is holding left-handed hitters to a .132 batting average. "You look at his numbers and they're absurd. I don't see anything wrong, delivery-wise, velocity, stuff."

Maddon said he likes the arms he has in the bullpen heading into the final stretch. The key now is getting them confident. That includes Grimm, who walked the bases loaded in the seventh.

"You pretty much know who your guys are and you'll stay with that particular group," he said. "For the most part, it'll be what you've seen all year. It's just getting them to get their confidence. All of them are having really good years."

The Cubs' bullpen isn't as set as the Royals last year.

"Physically, we have the ability to nail those innings down," Maddon said. "We haven't arrived at the Royals' ability or consistency yet, but I think physically we're there."

Worth noting

• Jorge Soler, who has not played since Aug. 24 because of a left oblique strain, played for Class A Myrtle Beach on Sunday in the Mills Cup championship series against Wilmington. Jen-Ho Tseng (7-7, 3.55 ERA) was scheduled to start for Myrtle Beach.

The addition of Austin Jackson allows the Cubs to give Soler more time to rehab rather than try to rush him back.